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The Association of RAF Fighter Control Officers

Celebrating Expertise in Command and Control ... Whenever, Wherever!

“All the ascendancy of the Hurricanes and Spitfires would have been fruitless but for this system which had been devised and built before the war. It had been shaped and refined in constant action, and was now fused together into a most elaborate instrument of war, the like of which existed nowhere in the world.”— Winston Churchill

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Our Constitution

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INAUGURATION

1.The Fighter Control Association was inaugurated at a meeting, attended by 58 serving and retired Fighter Controllers, held at Royal Air Force West Drayton on 12 October 1990.

DEFINITIONS

2.In this Constitution, unless otherwise specified, the following definitions apply:

a."The Association" means the Association of Royal Air Force Fighter Control Officers.

b."The Committee" means the elected Committee of the Association.

c."The Rules" means the Rules of the Association made under the provisions of this Constitution.

d."Fighter Control" or any of its derivations within the Constitution or Rules means the role within the Royal Air Force that determines the eligibility of a Full Member of the Association under the Rules; it may and will include roles, both prior to and subsequent to the inauguration of the Association, that may be construed to be the same as that defined at inauguration.

OBJECTIVES

3.The objectives of the Association are set out below:

a.Primary Objectives

(1)To further the recognition and identity of the Fighter Control Branch, its predecessors and successors.

(2)To unify and sustain a spirit of comradeship among serving and retired members of the Fighter Control Branch, its predecessors and successors.

b.Enabling Objectives

(1)To maintain a financial position to support the Association's primary objectives.

(2)To research the history of Fighter Control and contribute to its historical record.

(3)To provide assistance, information and advice to serving and retired members of the Fighter Control Branch, its predecessors and successors.

(4)To advise and inform all members of the Association by traditional (written, typed or printed) means and electronic means, as appropriate.

(5)To seek and achieve benefits from affiliations.

MEMBERSHIP

4.Unless and until the Rules shall otherwise provide, Full Members of the Association shall be Annual Members.

5.Any officer shall be eligible for full membership of the Association providing he/she is serving, or has served, in the Royal Air Force, Womens Royal Air Force, Royal Auxiliary Air Force or Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve and has served:

a.In the Fighter Control Branch and has been awarded a recognised fighter control qualification or

b.As a Radar Supervisor, Fighter Director or GCI Controller prior to the formation of the Fighter Control Branch.

6.Applications for membership of the Association shall be made in the manner and to the person, prescribed in the Rules. Every member of the Association shall pay the entrance fee and annual subscription required by the Rules.

7.Annual Members shall have the right to attend and vote at meetings of the Association, and shall be subject to the conditions prevailing in the Rules.

8.Associate and Honorary membership shall be admissible in accordance with the Rules.

OFFICERS

9.There shall be a President, Chairman, Vice-Chairman, Secretary and a Treasurer of the Association and such other Officers as may be prescribed from time-to-time in the Rules.

COMMITTEE

10.There shall be a Committee of the Association consisting of such numbers of members currently prescribed in the Rules. Committee members shall be duly elected at an Annual General Meeting; nominated by their Ministry of Defence appointment or by regional branches; or co-opted as prescribed in the Rules. Committee members will hold office for the period prescribed in the Rules.

11.Subject to the provisions of this Constitution, and of the Rules, the Committee shall have responsibility for the management and control of the Association's affairs and the administration of all properties and monies thereof; the Committee shall have the power to delegate, subject to any reservations or restrictions they may deem necessary, to any Sub-Committee appointed from their own number or otherwise constituted for the purpose from other members of the Association.

12.Subject to the Rules a new Committee shall be appointed at each Annual General Meeting of the Association; at the close of the Annual General Meeting the old Committee shall be deemed to have retired and the new Committee to have assumed office.

REGIONAL BRANCHES

13.The formation of Regional Branches shall be encouraged. Approval for the formation of Regional Branches shall be invested in the Committee. Regional Branches shall form their own Committee comprising a maximum of Chairman, Secretary, Treasurer and two other members; they shall also prepare their own Rules - including the raising of a Regional levy if deemed necessary - and nominate a non-voting Representative to the Committee.

ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING

14.A meeting of all members, known as the Annual General Meeting shall be held each year at such place and time as decided by the Committee.

15.The powers, duties, nature of the business to be transacted, the right of representation and procedure of the Annual General Meeting shall be in accordance with the Rules.

16.A Special Meeting shall be convened by the Committee on their own initiative, or at the request of at least fifty members of the Association, giving such notice as required by the Rules.

FINANCE

17.The annual subscription, currently prescribed in the Rules, shall be forwarded to the Treasurer by every member, ie, Full and Associate Members. All funds so derived shall be the property of the Association and shall accordingly be vested in the Committee.

18.There shall also be credited to the funds of the Association:

a.All monies, securities and other property acquired by the Association.

b.All gifts of money or property of whatsoever kind whether arising from public or private subscription or otherwise.

c.All monies which shall come into the hands of the Association as a result, or by reason, of the activities of the Association in promoting the Objectives of the Association expressed in Article 3 herein.

RULES

19.The first Rules to be made under this Constitution shall be made within the period beginning on the date of this Constitution and ending on the date of the next Annual General Meeting. The Rules, or any one of them, may from time-to-time be revoked, altered or added to by the Association at an Annual General Meeting provided that the prescribed notice shall have been given to the members, and that the prescribed majority of those present, and entitled to vote, shall vote in favour of such Rules, revocations, amendments or additions.

VALIDITY OF PROCEEDINGS

20.No proceeding or resolution of the Association in an Annual General Meeting, or meeting of the Committee or a Sub-Committee, shall be invalidated or questioned by reason of:

a.Vacancy/vacancies in membership.

b.The disqualification of, or any irregularity in, the appointment of any member(s).

c.Accidental omission to give any member(s) notice of any meeting.

AMENDMENT TO THE CONSTITUTION

21.Any proposal for repealing, amending or adding to any of the provisions of this Constitution shall be submitted to an Annual General Meeting, or a Special Meeting convened for this purpose. Due notice of such a proposal(s) shall first be given to the Chairman; such proposal(s) shall be prepared in printed copies for submission to the members at the meeting and shall be marked "Proposed Amendment to the Constitution". Such proposal(s), for repeal, amendment or addition to any of the provisions of the Constitution, so submitted at an Annual General or Special Meeting and approved by the votes of three-fourths of the full members present or represented by a proxy vote, shall, when given approval by the President, become effective.

TERMINATION OF THE ASSOCIATION

22.The property and monies of the Association are vested in the Committee and in the event of the Association ceasing to exist, the assets shall be given or transferred to some other charitable institution or institutions having objects similar to the objects of the Association.

18 May 2013

Association Rules

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SECTION 1 - ASSOCIATION POLICY

Restriction on the Association's activities

Rule 1.The Association shall be democratic, non-sectarian and non-party; it shall not be affiliated, either directly or indirectly, to any sectarian organisation or to any political party or like body. In no circumstances shall the Association or any of its Committees or Sub-Committees publicly express any views on behalf of the Association in connection with any political or industrial dispute, or engage in activities in connection therewith.

SECTION 2 - MEMBERSHIP

EligibilityforMembership

Rule 2.Full Membership. An officer shall be eligible for Full Membership of the Association when;

a.He/she is commissioned into and has served in the General Duties (Ground) Fighter Control, Operations Support (Fighter Control) or Operations Support (Aerospace Battle Manager) Specialisation or Aerospace Battle Manager Branch of the Royal Air Force and has been awarded a recognised fighter control qualification or,

b.He/she has served in the Royal Air Force as a Radar Supervisor, Fighter Director or GCI Controller prior to the formation of the Fighter Control Branch.

Ex-OfficioMembership

Rule 2A. Ex-Officio Membership. Ex-officio membership will be offered to appointees of branches other than ABM to senior posts in the chain of command of the ABM organisation. The number and specific appointments of such members will be decided by the Committee as required.

StudentMembership

Rule 2B.Student Membership.

a.An officer shall be eligible for Student Membership of the Association if he/she is commissioned into and is serving in the Aerospace Battle Manager Branch of the Royal Air Force prior to the award of a recognised and appropriate qualification; this period shall include any period during which the officer is holding prior to joining a training course that would lead to the award of such a qualification.

b.Student Membership shall only lead to Full Membership under the strict terms of Rule 2 and shall be cancelled on notification that the award of the qualification shall not be made by the School of Aerospace Battle Management; until the time of transfer to Full Membership, no subscription shall be due from the Student Member and no benefits or privileges of full membership shall be applicable, except for modified access to the Members' area of the Association website and Message Board.

Associate Membership

Rule 3.Associate Membership. Associate Members do not have voting rights at an Annual General Meeting or Special Meeting.

a.Officers of the Royal Navy, Royal Air Force or forces of foreign nations who are serving or have served on the operational strength of a United Kingdom ground environment unit shall be eligible for Associate Membership subject to endorsement by the Committee.

b.In addition, a surviving life-partner of a Full Member, or of an Associate Member under Rule 3a, shall be eligible for Associate Membership subject to endorsement by the Committee, with no membership fee due.

c.Exceptionally, with the endorsement of the Committee, Associate Membership may be offered to serving or retired officers of other Royal Air Force branch specialisations or other armed forces demonstrating historic and valuable affiliations to the Association and/or the Branches whose members are eligible for full membership.

(Rule 3 sub-para b amended at AGM 18)

Honorary Membership

Rule 4.Honorary Membership. Certain persons, not meeting the criteria of Rule 2, Rule 2A or Rule 3, whose membership would be beneficial to the Association, shall be offered Honorary Membership of the Association subject to a recommendation by the Committee and endorsement by an Annual General Meeting or Special Meeting. Honorary members do not have voting rights at an Annual General or Special Meeting.

Veteran (Dowding) Membership

Rule 4A.Veteran (Dowding) Membership. Certain persons who served as RAF or WAAF personnel, manning and operating the Dowding System or its equivalent overseas, between 1 September 1939 and 2 September 1945. Veteran (Dowding) members do not have voting rights at an Annual General or Special Meeting and pay no annual subscription.

Application for Membership

Rule 5.Application for Full, Student and Associate Membership of the Association shall be made, on the form authorised by the Committee, to the Secretary. The Committee shall call upon the candidate to furnish further evidence, when deemed necessary, to show that he or she is eligible under Rule 2, Rule 2A or Rule 3.

Rejection of Application for Membership

Rule 6.If the Committee decides to reject an application for membership, the notification by the Secretary to the applicant shall state the fact and specify the ground(s) on which the rejection was made.

Application Procedure

Rule 7.Application Procedure.

a.If an applicant for Full or Associate Membership is deemed to be eligible for such membership in accordance with Rule 2 or Rule 3, an interim or provisional registration shall be made by the Secretary - in accordance with Rule 8 - and the applicant so informed. Associate members falling under sub-para c of Rule 3 cannot apply for membership; those considered suitable must be proposed by a full member. In every case the applicant shall simultaneously be requested to complete and submit a standing order mandate, in accordance with Rule 12. The applicant will, from the point the completed standing order mandate is received and actioned by the Treasurer, enjoy the benefit of membership of the Association (including but not limited to full website and Message Board access and subsidised attendance at any Association function), but such membership shall cease if the applicant's subscription payment is not made on or immediately after the due date - as required by Rule 12 - at the discretion of the Committee; Rule 9 shall not apply in this case.

b.If an applicant for Student Membership is deemed to be eligible for such membership in accordance with Rule 2A, a temporary registration shall be made by the Secretary and the applicant so informed; the applicant shall simultaneously be requested to complete and submit a modified standing order mandate that will only be required to make a first subscription payment on 1 April following the transfer to Full Membership. The applicant will, from the point the completed standing order mandate is received by the Treasurer, have modified website and Message Board access (but no automatic right to participate in any subsidy when attending any Association function).

Register of Members

Rule 8.The Secretary shall maintain a register of all members of the Association. The register shall contain the following particulars of each member of the Association:

a.Name and address, and in the case of a serving member, current Service particulars.

e.Such other pertinent particulars as the Committee may deem necessary from time-to-time.

Restriction/Cessation of Membership

Rule 9. The membership of a Full or Associate Member shall be restricted or ceased in the following circumstances (at the discretion of the Committee):

a.Restriction of Membership. If the subscription of a Full or Associate Member remains only partially paid by 6 calendar months from the date it becomes due, membership privileges shall be restricted in that, where applicable, (i) access to the Member area of the website and Message Board shall be removed and (ii) eligibility to attend an Association function as an Association Member shall be withdrawn. This restriction shall last only so long as the subscription remains partially paid. The affected Member shall continue to receive communications, newsletters and notifications of events.

b.Cessation of Membership. If (i) the subscription of a Full or Associate Member remains unpaid by 6 calendar months from the date it becomes due or (ii) said Member enjoys the benefit of membership or services thereof without proper and full payment (as specified in Rule 28) of the amount designated to be paid for such benefit or service, membership shall cease forthwith and all membership privileges, communications, newsletters and notifications of events shall be withdrawn or cease.

Reinstatement of Membership

Rule 9A. Notwithstanding Rule 9 and at the discretion of the Committee, a former Full/Associate Member may be reinstated under the provisions of Rules 2 or 3, such reinstatement to depend on the immediate payment of an amount representing the subscription(s) missed in the intervening period, such amount to be the initial joining fee (provided for by Rule 11) plus the amount of the applicable (current) annual subscription (provided for by Rule 12), and any amount outstanding from membership benefits or services thereof enjoyed during any previous membership period.

Refund of Subscription

Rule 10.A person who has resigned or otherwise ceased membership of the Association shall not be entitled to the refund of any subscription or part thereof.

Joining Fee

Rule 11.There shall be provision for all members to pay an initial joining fee as determined by the Association at an Annual General Meeting. (The current fee with effect from 1 April 1993 is £0 (Nil Pounds))

Subscription

Rule 12.The Annual subscription shall be £15 or such other amount determined by the Association at an Annual General Meeting. The first subscription is to be paid on the date of his/her registration as a Member and then paid annually. Payment may be made by Standing Order or through the PayPal system. In addition, a Member who resides permanently outside the United Kingdom and is unable to take full advantage of the benefits of membership shall be excused payment of the Annual subscription. Serving officers who are posted overseas are also excused payment, at their discretion, for the whole period of their posting.

(Rule 12 amended at AGM 18)

SECTION 3 - OFFICERS

Officers of the Association

Rule 13.Only Full members of the Association shall become Officers.

a.The Officers of the Association shall be:

(1)The President.

(2)The Chairman.

(3)The Treasurer.

(4)The Secretary.

b.The Officers of the Association shall be elected by the Association at an Annual General Meeting and shall hold office for three years without re-election.

c.The Officers of the Association shall hold office from the conclusion of the Annual General Meeting at which they are elected to the conclusion of the Annual General Meeting in the year in which their term of office expires.

d.The Officers of the Association shall be eligible for re-election for further periods of office when their current term expires.

e.In the event that the Deputy Treasurer assumes the Powers, Responsibilities and Duties of the Treasurer in accordance with Rule 26, he/she shall simultaneously become an Officer of the Association. Only a Full Member of the Association may be elected to be the Deputy Treasurer.

Officers' Terms of Office

Rule 14.The following qualifications/terms of office shall apply:

a.The positions of President, Chairman, Treasurer and Secretary may each be held by a serving or a retired member of the Association.

b.The Deputy Treasurer shares some of the Treasurer's responsibility for Association banking (a designated signatory for the Association bank account and the Secondary User for Business Internet Banking); therefore, every effort should be made to avoid the 2 posts changing incumbents simultaneously.

President's Power to Delegate

Rule 15.The President of the Association may, by a directive in writing, delegate to the Chairman of the Committee any of his/her functions when he/she is unable to perform the function(s).

Honorary Vice-Presidents

Rule 16.

a.Any member of the Association who has rendered outstanding service to the Association may be invited, on recommendation of the Committee and an overall majority vote at an Annual General Meeting, to become an Honorary Vice-President.

b.Up to six Honorary Vice-Presidents may be appointed.

c.An Honorary Vice-President will not be required to pay an annual subscription, although s/he will remain a voting Member of the Association.

d.An Honorary Vice-President shall be given full access to the Committee forum area of the Association website and Message Board in order to permit informed contribution to any Committee discussion, without any obligation to provide such contribution. Such access shall not confer membership of the Committee nor any associated voting rights other than those applicable to a Full Association Member.

SECTION 4 - COMMITTEE

Committee Composition

Rule 17.The Committee shall comprise:

a.The Officers of the Association.

b.The Entertainments Member.

c.The Web Manager.

d.The Memorabilia Member.

e.The Heritage Member.

f.The Museums Liaison Member.

g.Serving Member Representative.

h.Any Member elected to deputise for a core post, any Representative appointed under Rule 18 or any Additional Member co-opted under Rule 21.

Rule 18.Every member of the Committee shall be a member of the Association and, with the exception of the Officers of the Association and the Representatives, shall be elected by the Association at an Annual General Meeting; they shall hold office for such term and subject to such conditions as may be prescribed in these Rules. Serving representatives shall be voting members of the Committee. No member of the Committee shall have more than one vote irrespective of the number of posts the member fills.

Quorum

Rule 19.The Quorum for the transaction of the business of the Committee shall be four, of whom two must be Officers of the Association, or such numbers as may from time-to-time be approved by the Association at an Annual General Meeting.

Casual Vacancy

Rule 20.Should a vacancy among the Officers of the Association or among the members of the Committee arise unexpectedly and more than four months before the next scheduled Annual General Meeting, it shall be filled by the Committee forthwith; the Officer/Committee member shall hold office to complete the full term of his/her predecessor.

Co-opted Members

Rule 21.The Committee shall have the power to co-opt additional members, who must be members of the Association, for specific purposes. Such an appointment shall continue only as long as the special purpose exists or requires. Additional Members shall have voting powers whilst serving on the Committee.

Sub-Committees

Rule 22.The Committee shall have the power to appoint Sub-Committees from amongst their members, including Additional Members co-opted under the provisions of these Rules.

Terms of Office for Committee Members

Rule 23.Members of the Committee, other than the Officers of the Association and the Representatives, shall hold office for a period of 2 years commencing from the conclusion of the Annual General Meeting at which they are elected to the conclusion of the Annual General Meeting in the year in which their term of office expires. Such elected members shall be eligible for re-election for further periods of office.

SECTION 5 - FINANCE

Independent Check/Audit

Rule 24.The accounts of the funds of the Association shall be subject to an independent check annually, as soon as possible after the end of the financial year of the Association (31 March), by 2 Officers of the Association other than the Treasurer.

Holding of Property

Rule 25.All property of the Association, both real and personal, shall be held in the name of such other person(s) as the Committee may from time-to-time determine.

Powers and Duties of the Treasurer

Rule 26.The cash and bank accounts of the Association shall be under the control of the Treasurer who shall be responsible therefore, but who shall administer them in accordance with the decisions of the Committee. The Treasurer shall maintain double-entry records of the accounts and shall submit statements of accounts to the Committee for examination and subsequent approval by the Association at the Annual General Meeting. In the event of the incapacitation of the Treasurer, the Powers, Responsibilities and Duties of the Treasurer shall devolve automatically to the Deputy Treasurer for the period of the Treasurer's incapacity.

Bank Withdrawals

Rule 27.Withdrawals from the Bank account shall be authorised by the signature of either the Treasurer, Deputy Treasurer or the Secretary with the implicit authority of the other.

Financial Propriety

Rule 28.Financial propriety shall be maintained in all aspects and operations of the Association.

a.Set fees and subscriptions shall be handled in the following manner:

(1)The amount of the joining fee to be forwarded to the Treasurer shall be as prescribed at Rule 11.

(2)The amount of the annual subscription to be forwarded to the Treasurer shall be as prescribed in Rule 12.

(3)Such other amounts as may from time-to-time be determined by the Association at an Annual General Meeting, or by the Committee, shall be forwarded to the Treasurer.

(4)Sums received in payment for any goods or services supplied by the Association shall be forwarded to the Treasurer.

(5)Sums received in respect of any function organised by the Committee, or in respect of any public appeal of any kind, shall be forwarded to the Treasurer.

(6)Sums received as donations for the use and benefit of the Association shall be forwarded to the Treasurer.

(7)The requirements of Article 18 of the Constitution or of this Rule shall be deemed to have been met if, instead of forwarding any sum to the Treasurer, it is duly accounted for to his/her satisfaction.

b.Sums due in respect of any function organised by the Committee on behalf of the Association shall be paid prior to the function, either at the time of booking or before a time to be set when the function is announced, at the discretion of the Committee.

c.Sums due in respect of goods or services shall be paid prior to the delivery of the goods or services.

Powers of Investment

Rule 29.Any funds not immediately required for the day-to-day running of the Association shall be invested as may from time-to-time be determined and authorised by the Committee.

Expenses

Rule 30.Members of the Association may, at the Committee's discretion, be paid amounts by way of expenses incurred in the pursuance of the Association's business; this may include an allowance for expenses incurred for attendance at Committee meetings. The Chairman's approval for such expenses must be obtained prior to the event, and shall be submitted to, and ratified by, the Association at an Annual General Meeting.

SECTION 6 - MEETINGS

Annual General Meeting

Rule 31.The Annual General Meeting shall be held at such time and place decided by the Committee; all members shall be notified of the place, date and time of the meeting, by the Secretary, at minimum of 2 months prior to the date of the meeting. Proposals for agenda items to be discussed under 'Any Other Business' shall be forwarded to the Secretary at least 28 days prior to the date of the meeting. The Secretary shall make arrangements for Full Members unable to attend an Annual General Meeting to vote by proxy.

Special Meeting

Rule 32.A Special Meeting may be convened at any time by the Committee with a minimum of 28 days notice. A Special Meeting may also be convened at the request of a minimum of 50 members of the Association. The convening notice for a Special Meeting shall state the business to be transacted; no business other than that notified on the convening notice shall be transacted at such Special Meetings.

Chairman of Meetings

Rule 33.In the Chairman's unavoidable absence, the President or the Secretary of the Committee shall take the chair. If neither of these officers is available, then an Officer of the Association shall chair the Meeting.

Business of Annual General Meetings

Rule 34.The business to be transacted at an Annual General Meeting shall comprise:

a.Apologies for Absence.

b.Approval of the Minutes of the Last Meeting.

c.Annual Report from the President.

d.Election of Officers.

e.Election of Committee Members, if required.

f.Election of Auditor(s), if required.

g.Consideration of proposals from the Committee or members for revocation, repeal or amendment to any Article(s) of the Constitution.

h.Consideration of proposals from the Committee or members for revocation, repeal or amendment of the Rules.

i.Financial statement and approval of the balance sheet from the previous accounting period.

j.Any Other Business, agreed by the President, of general concern to the Association.

Copies of Annual Reports

Rule 35.Copies of the President's Annual Report, the annual accounts of the Association and the Agenda shall be available to all members attending the Meeting.

Election Nominations

Rule 36.Nominations for the election of Officers of the Association and Committee members shall be in writing and sent to the Secretary at least 28 days prior to the date of the Annual General Meeting at which the election shall take place. Each nomination paper shall be signed by the proposer, the seconder and by the nominee signifying acceptance of his/her name being put forward. Use by the Proposer, Seconder and Nominee of separate multi-purpose nomination, acceptance and proxy forms shall be deemed a satisfactory alternative to the single nomination form signed by all parties. Where appropriate the nomination shall be accompanied by a brief statement of qualification. In the absence of any nomination for a vacant post or for a post that will become vacant after the AGM, every effort shall be made at the AGM to find a suitable volunteer, who shall then be elected in the normal manner.

List of Candidates on the Agenda

Rule 37.The Agenda of an Annual General Meeting shall include a list of all candidates who have been validly nominated for election as an Officer of the Association or as a member of the Committee; the inclusion of a candidate's name in such a list shall be conclusive evidence that the prescribed conditions of nomination have been met.

Notice of Resolutions

Rule 38.A member of the Association wishing to move a resolution(s) at an Annual General Meeting shall give notice of the proposal(s) in writing and duly seconded, to the Secretary at least 28 days prior to the date of the meeting.

Agenda to be Final

Rule 39.Resolutions, subjects or matters not included in the Agenda shall not be moved, raised or discussed at an Annual General Meeting except when a matter of urgency has arisen after the Agenda has been printed. In this event the Agenda may be altered by the Committee, the President or the Chairman so that the topic may be discussed.

AGM or Special Meeting Quorum

Rule 40.A quorum at an Annual General or Special Meeting shall be ten percent of the Full membership of the Association. Proxy votes from Full Members, given to any Full Member attending the AGM, shall count towards the quorum.

Voting

Rule 41.Voting at an Annual General or Special Meeting shall be by a show of hands unless otherwise directed by the Chair. A simple majority vote by those members attending the meeting and entitled to vote shall be sufficient for resolution to be carried.

Proxy Meeting

Rule 42.The Secretary will make arrangements to enable members who cannot attend the Annual General Meeting, or an Extraordinary General Meeting, to nominate a proxy to vote on their behalf in accordance with Article 21 of the Constitution. Members may nominate as their proxy the Chairman, a Committee Member or any other member known to be attending the Meeting in question. Members must send their proxy nominations to the Secretary, in writing, prior to the Meeting.

Decisions to be Final

Rule 43.A decision of an Annual General or Special Meeting shall be binding upon the Association, its Officers and members.

Minutes of the Meeting

Rule 44.A true and accurate record of an Annual General or Special Meeting shall be maintained by the Secretary. This record, the Minutes of the Meeting, shall be made available to all members, within the bounds of economy, after the conclusion of the Meeting. These Minutes shall constitute the authority to implement those decisions taken at the Meeting.

Committee Meetings

Rule 45.Meetings of the Committee shall be held as required, but not less than two per year, and as notified to Committee members. Such meetings shall not discuss, or take decisions upon any subject or matter other than the routine conduct of the Association's business. A simple majority vote shall be deemed an agreement of the Committee and shall be binding on all members of the Committee.

Committee Meeting Minutes

Rule 46.The Secretary shall maintain a true and accurate record of the Committee's proceedings and shall be directed by the Chairman which of the decisions taken in the Committee shall be included in the President's Annual Report to the Annual General Meeting. Where applicable and appropriate, the reports and findings of all Sub-Committee(s) shall be summarised in the main Committee's Minutes.

SECTION 7 - MISCELLANEOUS

Use of Association Title, Initials, Badge or Insignia

Rule 47.No member of the Association shall use or permit the use of the name, initials, badge or other insignia of the Association which would in any way suggest that any of his/her activities has the support of, or is conducted under, the auspices of the Association without the prior written authority of the Chairman; if such authority is given it may be revoked at any time.

Bye-Laws

Rule 48.The Committee may make Bye-Laws for regulating the affairs of the Association and the Committee. Bye-Laws shall prescribe anything which is required by these Rules, and may make further provisions as may be seen by the Committee to be necessary, or desirable, for implementing, or facilitating, the provisions of the Constitution in the absence of a specific Rule to cover any particular circumstance or contingency. Such Bye-Laws shall be submitted by the Committee to the next Annual General Meeting for ratification and inclusion in these Rules.

a.'The Annual General Meeting', 'Special Meeting' and 'Committee Meeting' respectively mean the annual meeting of members of the Association to be held in pursuance of Article 14 of the Constitution, a meeting of the members of the Association specially convened to deal with extraordinary business of the Association in pursuance of Article 16 of the Constitution and a meeting of the Committee convened to manage the day-to-day affairs of the Association.

b.'The Association' means the Association of Royal Air Force Fighter Control Officers.

c.'Royal Air Force' means the Royal Air Force, the Women's Royal Air Force, the Royal Auxiliary Air Force and the Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve.

d.'The Committee' means the Committee of the Association including the Officers of the Association, the elected and nominated members of the Committee and the Representatives; such Committee being authorised under the provisions of articles 10, 11 and 12 of the Constitution.

e.'The Rules' means the Rules of the Association written under the provisions of Article 17 of the Constitution.

f.'The Constitution' means the Constitution currently in force, approved by the Association and assigned as effectual by the President of the Association.

Rule 50.In these Rules references to the Rules shall, unless otherwise specified, include any Bye-Laws issued under the provisions of Rule 48.

Current Version Dated: 16 June 2018

Association Bye-Laws

Issued in accordance with Rule 48 of the Rules of the Association

Bye-Law nn/2018/19 - Ipsum dolor Est

Website Terms & Conditions

Introduction

The Association of Royal Air Force Fighter Control Officers (hereinafter referred to as "the Association") makes available information, materials and products on this web site, subject to the following terms and conditions. By accessing any part of this site, you will be deemed to have accepted these terms and conditions in full. The Association reserves the right to change these terms and conditions from time to time at its sole discretion.

Any questions or comments concerning these conditions of use should be directed to the Secretary, via the 'Contact ...' Page.

Access

Whilst the Association endeavours to ensure that this site is normally available 24 hours a day, the Association will not be liable if for any reason the site is unavailable at any time or for any period.

Access to this site may be suspended temporarily or permanently and without notice.

Licence

Unless otherwise stated, the copyright and any other rights in all material on this web site are owned by the Association.

Except as specifically permitted in particular areas of this site, none of the information on this site may be reproduced in any form or by any means without prior written permission from the Association.

No part of this site may be reproduced or stored in any other web site or included in any public or private electronic retrieval system or service without the prior written permission of the Association.

The trade marks, logos and services marks ('Marks') displayed on this site are the property of the Association, its licensor or other third parties. You may not use any of the Marks without the prior written consent of the Association or the third party who owns the relevant Mark.

Any rights not expressly granted in these terms are reserved.

Liability

Whilst the Association endeavours to ensure that the information on this site is correct, no warranty, express or implied, is given as to its accuracy and the Association does not accept any liability for error or omission.

The Association shall not be liable for any damages (including, without limitation, damages for loss of business or loss of profits) arising in contract, tort or otherwise from the use of or inability to use this site, or any material contained in it, or from any action or decision taken as a result of using this site or any such material.

Part of this site may contain material submitted to the Association by third parties. Those third parties are responsible for ensuring that material submitted for inclusion on this site complies with national and relevant foreign law. The Association will not be responsible for any error, omission or inaccuracy in the material and reserves the right to omit, suspend or edit any material submitted to it.

The Association accepts no responsibility for the content of any site to which a hypertext link from this site exists. The links are provided 'as is' with no warranty, express or implied, for the information provided within them. Provision of a link does not imply any endorsement by the Association of the relevant site.

Proof of sending an e-mail is not proof of receipt. The Association accepts no responsibility for non-receipt of information submitted through this site.

Jurisdiction

This web site is controlled by the Association from locations in England. By accessing this site, you agree that all matters relating to your access to, or use of, this site will be governed by English law; and you agree to submit to the jurisdiction of the English courts with respect to such matters.

The Association makes no representation that materials on this site are appropriate or available for use in other locations, and accessing them from territories where their contents are illegal is prohibited. Any person who chooses to access this site from other locations does so on their own initiative and is responsible for compliance with local laws.

Privacy Statement

The Association will not use the personal information collected on this website for any purpose other than that specified. The Association declares that all information will be treated confidentially and in accordance with the legal provisions concerning data protection.

Cookie Disclaimer

The Association does not use persistent cookies (persistent tokens that pass information back and forth from the client machine to the server). The Association does use session cookies (tokens that remain active only until you log out (or close your browser, if not logged in)) in order to personalise your site based on your stated preferences. The Association DOES NOT keep a database of information obtained from these cookies. You can choose not to accept these cookies but you will not be able to access this site fully. Refer to the help information in your browser software for instructions on cookies.

Articles On This Site...

Introduction

The Association of Royal Air Force Fighter Control Officers (hereinafter referred to as "the Association") makes available information, materials and products on this web site, subject to the following terms and conditions. By accessing any part of this site, you will be deemed to have accepted these terms and conditions in full. The Association reserves the right to change these terms and conditions from time to time at its sole discretion.

Any questions or comments concerning these conditions of use should be directed to the Secretary, via the ' Contact ...' Page.

Access

Whilst the Association endeavours to ensure that this site is normally available 24 hours a day, the Association will not be liable if for any reason the site is unavailable at any time or for any period.

Access to this site may be suspended temporarily or permanently and without notice.

Licence

Unless otherwise stated, the copyright and any other rights in all material on this web site are owned by the Association.

Except as specifically permitted in particular areas of this site, none of the information on this site may be reproduced in any form or by any means without prior written permission from the Association.

No part of this site may be reproduced or stored in any other web site or included in any public or private electronic retrieval system or service without the prior written permission of the Association.

The trade marks, logos and services marks ('Marks') displayed on this site are the property of the Association, its licensor or other third parties. You may not use any of the Marks without the prior written consent of the Association or the third party who owns the relevant Mark.

Any rights not expressly granted in these terms are reserved.

Liability

Whilst the Association endeavours to ensure that the information on this site is correct, no warranty, express or implied, is given as to its accuracy and the Association does not accept any liability for error or omission.

The Association shall not be liable for any damages (including, without limitation, damages for loss of business or loss of profits) arising in contract, tort or otherwise from the use of or inability to use this site, or any material contained in it, or from any action or decision taken as a result of using this site or any such material.

Part of this site may contain material submitted to the Association by third parties. Those third parties are responsible for ensuring that material submitted for inclusion on this site complies with national and relevant foreign law. The Association will not be responsible for any error, omission or inaccuracy in the material and reserves the right to omit, suspend or edit any material submitted to it.

The Association accepts no responsibility for the content of any site to which a hypertext link from this site exists. The links are provided 'as is' with no warranty, express or implied, for the information provided within them. Provision of a link does not imply any endorsement by the Association of the relevant site.

Proof of sending an e-mail is not proof of receipt. The Association accepts no responsibility for non-receipt of information submitted through this site.

Jurisdiction

This web site is controlled by the Association from locations in England. By accessing this site, you agree that all matters relating to your access to, or use of, this site will be governed by English law; and you agree to submit to the jurisdiction of the English courts with respect to such matters.

The Association makes no representation that materials on this site are appropriate or available for use in other locations, and accessing them from territories where their contents are illegal is prohibited. Any person who chooses to access this site from other locations does so on their own initiative and is responsible for compliance with local laws.

Privacy Statement

The Association will not use the personal information collected on this website for any purpose other than that specified. The Association declares that all information will be treated confidentially and in accordance with the legal provisions concerning data protection.

Cookie Disclaimer

The Association does not use persistent cookies (persistent tokens that pass information back and forth from the client machine to the server). The Association does use session cookies (tokens that remain active only until you log out (or close your browser, if not logged in)) in order to personalise your site based on your stated preferences. The Association DOES NOT keep a database of information obtained from these cookies. You can choose not to accept these cookies but you will not be able to access this site fully. Refer to the help information in your browser software for instructions on cookies.

Access extra content, including the Heritage Section, Message Boards & the ability to liaise with all of our members

What is the FCA?

The Association was formed in 1990, with the general aims of:

1. Furthering the recognition and identity of the Fighter Control Branch

2. Unifying and sustaining a spirit of comradeship among serving and retired members of the Aerospace Battle Management / Fighter Control Branch.

Nevertheless, the unofficial aims of the Association are to get together each year, meet up with old friends and have a good time!!

How To Apply

Complete the on-line form using the links provided. We now accept multiple forms of payment, including PayPal; just click here to start your application for membership

or

Contact us using the button above (or clicking here) and we can send you more information or, alternatively, send you a paper copy of the application form for you to post (but why would you want to do that when you can do it all on-line?)

The cost of membership, since 1 April 2014 , is £15 pa.

Registration and Membership Application

Registration for this website is included within an application to join and become a Member of the Association of Royal Air Force Fighter Control Officers. There are various categories of membership and the eligibility criteria for each are laid out in the Rules of the Association. Once an application is received by the Hon Secretary, it will be determined whether or not the eligibility criteria have been met and, if so, for which category.

Application

The application process takes the applicant through a number of pages, on which certain data completion will be required; the entries requested are mandatory, but are limited to those required to identify the applicant for eligibility purposes. The first page asks for the email address the applicant will use to log into the site and also the associated password. We would prefer that the use of a 'mod.uk' address be avoided, although it is not yet prohibited.

The second page seeks limited Service details; membership eligibility will be determined, in part, from this. The third page requires some personal information that will also assist in meeting the eligibility criteria.

Finally, the last page wants to know how payment will be made. Since the AGM in 2018, an individual's membership 'year' will run from the date that payment is first made, with the first payment being made as soon as possible after application. Confirmation of membership (including unfettered access to the website) will not be given until that payment, if applicable, is made.